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A CERTAIN Totokonula was once chief of the people heie ; a 
mighty hunter and a good husbandman, his tribe never wanted 
food while he attended to their welfare. But a change came: 
while out hunting one day the young man met a spirit-maid, the 
guardian angel of the valley, the beautiful Tisayac. She was not 
as the dusky beauties of his tribe, but white and fair, with rolling 
yellow tresses, that fell over her shoulders like sunshine, and blue 
eyes with a light in them like the skv where the sun s:oes down ; 
white, cloud-like wings were folded behind her shoulders, and her 
voice was sweeter than the song of birds: no wonder the strong 
chief loved her with a mad and instant love. He reached towards 
her, but the snowy wings lifted her above his sight, and he stood 
again alone upon the dome where she had been. No more Toto- 
konula led in the chase, or heeded the crops in the valley ; he 
wandered here and there like a man distraught, ever seeking that 
wonderful shining vision that had made all else on earth stale and 
unprofitable in his sight. The land began to languish, missing 
the industrious directing hand that had tended it so long; the 
pleasant garden became a wilderness, where the drought laid 
waste, and the wild beast spoiled what was left and taught his 
cubs to divide the prey. When the fair spirit retmned at last to 
visit her valley, she wept to see the desolation, and she knelt upon 
the dome, praying to the Great Spirit for succor. God heard, and 



stooping from his place, he clothed tiie dome upon which she 
stood, and the granite was riven beneath her feet, and tile melted 
snows of the Nevadas rushed through the gorge, bearing fertility 
upon their cool bosoms. A beautiful lake was formed between 
the cloven walls of the moimtain, and a river issued from it to feed 
the valley forever. Then sang the birds as of old. laving their 
bodies in the water, and the odor of tlowers rose like a pleasant 
incense, and the trees put forth their buds, and the corn shot up 
beneath the sun and rustled when tlie breeze crept through the 
tall stalks. Tisavac moved away as she had come, and none knew 
whither she went ; but the people called the dome by her name, 
as it is indeed known to this day. After her departure the chief 
returned from his weary quest, and as he heard that the winged 
one had visited the valley, the old madness crept up into his eyes 
and entered, seven times worse than at first, into his empty soul. 
He turned his back on the lodges of his people. His last act was 
to cut with his lumting-knife the outline of his face upon a lofty 
rock, so that if lie never returned his memorial at least should re- 
main with them forever. He never did retrnn fiom that hopeless 
search;, but the graven rock was called Totokonula, after his 
name, and may be still seen, three thousand feet high, guarding 
the entrance of the beautiful \alley. — "Native Races," by H. H. 
Bancroft, page 12^, Vol. 111. 






Illuminated half-title 

Title-page 

' Majestic peaks of frigid will" 

' ' (jreat Spirit ! grant nie mystic power' " 

' She shrank from mortal touch, arising" . 

' Ruined harvest, worthless, seared." . . 

' Reflecting dusky native daughters" . . 

' Nature casts her fairest treasures" . . . 

' Sublime appeared the mountains grand" 

' ' But I have known a harder death' " . . 

' He saw Tisayac's angel face" 

' ' The Bridal Veil' is ever flowing" . . . 
Floral decorations throughout the text . . 
Modellings in clay " 



Drawn by Will H. Low. 
Modelled by John J. Boyle. 
Drawn by Hek^iann Simon . . 
Fredehick Dielman 
FuEDERicK Dielman 
'■ FuEDEuicK Dielman 

FuEDEKiCK Dielman 
" Hermann Simon . . 

H. Bolton Jones . . 
Frederick Dielman 
" Frederick Dielman 

Henry Sandham . . 
Rene T. de Quelin. 
Ijy A. L. R. Van der Berg 



/ 



29 " 
33 f' 
37/ 
41 ■ 

45 ^■ 

49 ''■' 



TISAYAC OF THE YOSEMITE. 



Once the Sierra range, rock riven, 

Craggy with jagged boulders gray, 
Looked like wall borders touching heaven, 

That led along their lofty way. 
The grand old glaciers extended. 

Majestic peaks of frigid will, 
Against midsummer sun defended 

Their right to wear ice armor still. 
O'er the steep slopes were wild woods, dotted 

On fluted ridges of the pass. 
Where climbed the zigzag trails allotted 

Ascent from vales of brambled grass. 



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II. 

In these mountains ruled supremely 

To-to-ko-nu-la, valiant, brave — 
With wisdom strove he, as was seemly, 

To guard the right, from wrong to save. 
One morn he stood, adventure daring, 

Upon the highest peak, with pride 
Invoking unseen flite, ne'er sparing 

Dangers that threatened to betide ; 
Beneath the o'erarched heavens, speaking 

As if a king upon his throne. 
He, from his love of venture, seeking 

Some strange phenomenon unknown. 



"Great Spirit! grant me mystic power 

To change all things 1 now behold ! 
With might give wisdom, wondrous dower 

New glories in mv deeds to fold ! 
Give loftv life this habitation I 

Magnificent argentine sweep ; 
Give mighty mountains to this nation ! 

Give treasures richest for our keep !"' 
Lo I while he spake soft shimmers lightly 

Illumed the cliffs of boulders high. 
With warmer iridescence, brightly, 

Like promise bows that span the sky ; 



IV. 

Forth from irradiance advancing, 

In answer to his uttered prayer, 
A vision, glorious, entrancing, 

As if his destiny to share, 
Appeared beside him on the mountain. 

Most beautiful, transcendent, fair, — 
In robe of sheen, like foam of fountain 

That pearls the dewv morning air ; 
Her silken tresses falling lightly 

Waving with rays of golden hue. 
Like sunshine shone, but far more brightly, 

Threading her folded pinions through. 



V. 

0"er her pure brow seraphic, twining. 

Were bands of bright encircling tlame — 
Halos of saintly ninibus — shining 

The while she spake her wondrous name. 
" 1 am Tisayac ! For thv glorv 

The Light of light awardeth thee 
To till the measure of thy story. 

Its meed of mystic destiny." 
While speaking, saintly smiles were wieathing 

Their tender lights of ti'uth divine 
From azure eyes, her bosom breathing 

The holy love that hearts enshrine. 





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VI. 

The Indian chieftain, charmed, delighted, 

Awoke with warmest love aglow ; 
Wild words his adoration plighted 

With pride exultant bliss to show ; 
Excitedly his arms extended 

The angel presence to embrace ; 
With wooing thoughts his praises blended 

Fleeter than words could till their place. 
Tisayac's smile at once o'erclouded 

His earthly passion to disprove ; 
Her glorious presence, saintly-shrouded 

In mantle of divinest love. 



VII. 

She shrank from mortal touch, arising 

On outspread wings, she soared away, 
The bold young brave with shock surprising, 

Who stood bewildered in dismay : 
Never before had he been slighted 

Or baffled in his wild desire ; 
His soul subdued by wishes blighted, 

Bedazed with disappointment dire. 
His searching gaze o'er earth and heaven 

Met only chaos everywhere, 
Till speech his palsied tongue was given 

To utter this pathetic prayer : 



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Vlli. 

"Oh! banish not this new-found pleasure, 

Feast of my eves ! to gaze on thee, 
My light of life ! my peerless treasure I 

My meed of glorious destiny ! 
Bv the Great Spirit sent, thy beauty 

Intoxicates my heart with love. 
That truly vows with dauntless duty 

Its adoration fond to prove. 
What angel grace I What tender glances ! 

Thv beauty, beaming rosy light, 
Awakes desire, my soul entrances 

With whispered words of fond delight. 



IX. 

"Stay! Why arouse my mind fiom sleeping, 

With proffered smiles, ecstatic bliss? 
My heart once cold, now madly leaping, — 

What doom was ever like to this? 
Vanished? alas! all things seem dreary; 

Naught in this world will please again ; 
Of life's oppression 1 am weary — 

Still hushing heart-throbs born of pain. 
Tisayac ! light of air world, hover 

Awhile above my burning brow ! 
Comfort this grief of mine, thy lover 

Who wafts adoringlv his vow. " 



Of noble presence, God-like bearing, 

With youth, ambition, warm desire, 
Bravest of braves, his dauntless daring, 

With eyes of eagles" gleam and tire ; 
Like one distiacted, ever seeking 

The angel through wild mvstic wavs, 
To-to-ko-nu-la wandered, speaking 

Or singing sad, disjointed lays. 
Neglected lands began to languish, 

With weeds and brambles overgrown ; 
The chieftain's spirit racked with anguish. 

His mind bv maddened thoughts o'erthrown. 



XI. 

" TiSAYAC ! I will follow ever 

Along the way 1 saw thee tly ! 
Thou canst not by this torture sever 

Love that will live if I must die!" 
Then he a glacier steep ascended 

From crag to crag, soon disappeared ; 
Dominion thus neglected ended 

In ruined harvest, worthless, seared. 
Soon through the canons mimic measures 

Along the dingled caverns deep, 
With waking voice invoking pleasures, 

Unceasing murmurs softly sweep. 



XII. 

" To-TO-KO-NU-LA ! " like a whisper 

Sio;hed on the stilly mountain air 
With rippling hush, like laughing lisper 

Awoke the echoes everywhere. 
As with a ray of light from heaven, 

Tisayac. the fair angel, came; 
A glow of glorious radiance given 

With music of the chieftain's name. 
She gazed upon the desolation 

Desertion brought that vast domain, 
On barren blight, — drear devastation, 

Since madness crushed the chieftain's reign. 



XIII. 

Her tears like piecious dews of Hermon 

Fell on the soil beneath her feet ; 
Fair tlowers awoke, with silent sermon 

Wafting odorous incense sweet. 
At her command were boulders riven, 

The granite parted where she stood ; 
The melted mountain snows were driven. 

Rushing in falls with force of tlood. 
A lovelv lake she formed of waters 

Pure as the mirrored azure skies. — 
Reflecting dusky native daughters, — 

Now forms the source where rivers rise. 



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XIV. 

Thus the Yosemite. that wonder 

Of fabled scenery sublime, 
Was given falls with voice of thunder, 

And purling streams with ceaseless chime. 
A grander majesty enhances 

The scene, and pines soft shadows fling, 
Their tasselled foliage — eUin lances — 

In bristling range of battle bring. 
Forests of mammoth trees embracing 

With massive boughs magnificent, 
Climbing wild vines whose interlacing 

Frail tendrils lights to shadows lent. 



XV. 

Most wondrous charms of beauty blended 

Along the overarching skies, 
Grand granite monuments extended 

O'er fissures, falls, and domes that rise ; 
Their needle shafts so sharply pointed, 

The Sentinel imposing stands, 
Like sacred edifice anointed 

As offertory of the land. 
For nature casts her faiiest treasures 

Before the altars offered there ; 
The birds are chanting songs in measure, 

With sweet responses everywhere. 



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XVI. 

Bold, granite boulder range was given 

Wiiere towering cliffs imposing stand, 
Deep mighty falls o'er ledges d liven, 

By ceaseless breezes ever flinned ; 
The wild birds sang in tuneful measure. 

Blossoms bedecked with odors sweet 
The fertile tklds, exalting pleasure 

Of vernal beauties rare, leplete. 
To-to-ko-nu-la, then returning 

After a long and fruitless quest, 
Of fair Tisayac's visit learning, 

With wilder phrensy was possessed. 



XVII. 

Awe-struck he gazed upon the changes : 

Sublime appeared the mountains grand, 
Dense foaming falls, arcaded ranges 

That towering rose above the land. 
Upon a lofty peak he places 

A likeness of himself in stone, 
With hunting-knife that outline traces 

Now to the gazing pilgrim shown. 
And while he worked, his sad song singing, 

He'd pause, with an attentive ear. 
Again to hear Tisavac winging — 
His wearv heart with life to cheer. 









■M6MUMWB 





SONG. 



Here will I trace 
My saddened face, 
Upon this stone, 
For thou hast flown 

To Spirit Great. 
Tisayac ! thou 
With seraph brow, 
Irradiant — fair — 
Naught can compare 

To thee, my fate. 




Hard is tliis stone ; 
But 1 have known 
A harder death 
With living breath — 

My doom is brief; 
It follows still 
Thy witching will 
That wooed, that won 
And left undone 

A hapless chief. 




Delve, delve I now, 
O'er face and brow 
In earnest zeal ; 
My harder steel 

Deepens each line. 
Tisayac, see ! 
My love for thee 
Aids to impress. 
For thy caress. 

This face of mine. 



XVIII. 

And while he sang the birds were singing, 

Flitting from crag to crag the while, 
With fluttering pinions softly winging, 

As if his sadness to beguile. 
When finished, he would proudly linger, 

Hoping Tisayac would approve : 
Smiling he'd say, with pointing finger, — 

" Behold ! a likeness of thy love !" 
Thus day bv day would he endeavor 

The angel presence to invoke ; 
Echoes, with sweetest murmurs, ever 

His words in mimic trills awoke. 



XIX. 

One eve, while balmy hours were sleeping 

And zephyrs hummed a lullaby, 
The drony waters ever leaping 

Through misty sheen from boulders high, 
While falling floated airv measure 

Of plashes musicallv sweet, 
Like fabled pearls on threads of pleasure 

In gauzy warp and woof complete, — 
Then through the fairv veil, appearing 

On graceful fill, like finest lace — 
One moment, his fond fancv cheering, 

He saw Tisayac's angel face. 



XX. 

No word with her pure presence spoken, 

But bows of promise shimmered there, 
Soothing the heart, with hallowed token 

Of spirit love with her to share. 
Quick as electric tlash from heaven. 

By hope inspired, fond fancy cheered 
Thus to behold the presence given. 

The brave sprang forth and disappeared. 
"The Bridal Veil" is ever flowing 

Tisayac wore her nuptial night. 
That hour with iridescence glowing 

Appear two rainbows, beaming bright. 



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